Terry is a Brand Ambassador for Swarovski Optik. He uses the following equipment for birding and mammal-watching:
Binocular: Swarovski EL 8×32
“I often spend hours at a time in the field with lots of kit – binocular, telescope, backpack etc. Consequently, weight is an important factor for me, as well as optical quality. A heavy binocular can become a burden. This binocular is wonderfully lightweight without any compromise on the optical quality. I can wear it for hours without noticing the weight. Simply my favourite binocular of all-time!”
Telescope: Swarovski ATX95 with 30-70x zoom and BTX binocular modular eyepieces
“The ATX95 is simply the best birding telescope on the market. Exceptional optical quality, combined with a large objective lens means this telescope is simply unbeatable, especially in low light. And with the 30-70x zoom eyepiece, it’s versatile, too.”
“The 2017-launched BTX binocular eyepiece takes wildlife-watching to another level. For any birding or mammal-watching that involves long periods of scanning, for example sea-watching, surveying shorebirds or searching for Snow Leopards on the Tibetan Plateau, the BTX is revolutionary. Forget the need for regular breaks to recalibrate the eyes after squinting to use one eye to scan.. with the BTX, especially the adjustable eyepieces and the innovative forehead rest, scanning is so comfortable that the biggest danger is falling asleep! The quality of the viewing is also much improved when compared with a traditional telescope. Using two eyes is so much better than one. I find that I see more, and spot movement faster, when using two eyes. A simply superb piece of kit and I wouldn’t be without it during my visits to Qinghai.”
Tripod: Swarovski AT101 with Manfrotto AT101 head
For digiscoping, Terry uses the Swarovski ATX95, iPhone 6S with i6S case and PA ring.
“Digiscoping is easy with the ATX95 and iPhone adaptor. The quality of the iPhone’s video capability combined with the superb Swarovski optics means that it’s possible to secure almost TV-quality video and stills using this set-up. The magnification of the zoom eyepiece also means that there is no temptation to get too close to the subject. I’ve successfully secured video of Snow Leopard, Pallas’s Cat, Tibetan Fox, Tibetan Bunting, Alashan Redstart and other wildlife at times when conventional cameras, even with 600mm lenses. would have struggled to secure a decent image.”
Title image: using the ATX95 to scan for Snow Leopards in spectacular Qinghai Province, China.